Azerbaijan Travel Guide

Azerbaijan — Country and Tourist Information

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Country Facts

Location: Caucasus, western Caspian Sea region.
Language: Azeri. Russian is widely spoken; English may be spoken in Baku and other main centres.
Area: 86,600 sq km (33,400 sq miles).
Time Zone: GMT + 4.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Population: 8.2 million (UN estimate 2008).
Population Density: 94.6 per sq km.
Capital City: Baku. Population: 2 million (2008).
Government: Democratic Republic. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Artur Rasizada since 2003.
Head of State: President Ilham Aliyev since 2003.
Religion: Mostly Shia Muslim although there are Russian Orthodox and Jewish communities.

Recent History

Ilham Aliyev, the son of long-term Azeri leader Heydar Aliyev, inherited his father’s office in 2003, albeit through an election the international community widely believed to be unfair. Despite managing to unify and stabilize the country, Azerbaijan is still mired in corruption, and continues to be a dictatorship in all but name with widespread human rights abuses.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +994. International calls from Azerbaijan may be dialed directly from Baku and some other towns throughout the country.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is mostly limited to the capital and main towns and is non-existent in many mountain areas.

Internet

Available in all cities and towns.

Media

There are a number of state-run and public media outlets that compete with private and opposition publications and private broadcasters. Despite official freedom of speech, the Azeri media is tightly controlled and very self-censoring.

Post

International postal services are sometimes disrupted. Delays occur, although letters should normally take 10 to 14 days to arrive. Parcels should be registered or sent by courier services to accelerate the process and ensure against loss.

Press

• Newspapers include Azadliq, Ekho and Zerkalo (in Russian and English).
• The government daily is Azarbaycan.
• The English-language newspaper is Baku-Sun.

Radio

• There is a state broadcaster with two national networks, Azerbaijan Radio 1 and Azerbaijan Radio 2.
• Private-run FM stations include ANS ChM, Radio Lider and Radio Azad Azerbaijan.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
31 Dec Day of Azeri Solidarity

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
20 Jan Day of the Martyrs
8 Mar Women’s Day
21 Mar Noruz Bayramy (Persian New Year)
22 Apr Good Friday
25 Apr Easter Monday
9 May Victory Day
28 May Republic Day
15 Jun Day of National Salvation
26 Jun Army and Navy Day
30 Aug - 31 Aug End of Ramadan
18 Oct Day of Independence
12 Nov Constitution Day
17 Nov Day of National Revival
28 Nov Feast of Sacrifice
31 Dec Day of Azeri Solidarity

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
20 Jan Day of the Martyrs
8 Mar Women’s Day
21 Mar Novruz Bayramy (Persian New Year)
6 Apr Good Friday
9 Apr Easter Monday
9 May Victory Day
28 May Republic Day
15 Jun Day of National Salvation
26 Jun Army and Navy Day
19 Aug End of Ramadan
18 Oct Day of Independence
25 Oct Feast of Sacrifice
12 Nov Constitution Day
17 Nov Day of National Revival
31 Dec Day of Azeri Solidarity
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Ramazan Bayram, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Ramazan Bayram itself. Ramazan Bayram and Kurban Bayram may last up to several days, depending on the region.

Contact Information

Embassy of the Rebublic of Azerbaijan in the UK

4 Kensington Court, London W8 5DL, UK
Tel: (020) 7938 3412 or 5482 (consular section).
Website: www.azembassy.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1800.
Consular opening hours (located on the lower ground floor of above address): Mon-Fri 1000-1300.